Halloween is SO scary!

Last night we had our Halloween Party that Kim helped the 69’ers host. Kim and Quentin came over about 4pm, prompting the rest of us to hurriedly get into our costumes. The drinking had already started, but now we had to get dressed and organised!

People did a great job with their costumes! I’m glad that people made the effort to get dressed up, as it’s more fun when there are more people getting into the swing of things. Only 3 people who came didn’t dress up, which isn’t bad seeing as there were about 20-25 people there.

Many drinks were had, BBQ food eaten and many drinking games played. All in all, it was a fabulous night!

Below are some photos of people at the party. All the costumes were fantastic!

Pam came to visit!

Tonight we had Pam over for dinner. Our old flatmate (and friend) came over from Australia for a wedding last week and happens to be in Hamilton this weekend.

How kind of her to book us in! So many people to see, so many things to do! All in 2 weeks.

Nothing exciting happened last night. We just had dinner (Rachel's yummy chicken) then sat around and talked. Think we might have scared our new flatmate Craig!!! Don't think he was prepared for what we are all like together. Jo and Tobi we also over, so you can just imagine what it was like (for those who know them).

Early to bed cause Saturday is a big day! PARTY!!!

1st Cake Decorating Class

I survived my first cake decorating class!

Last night we learnt different things about baking cakes, including a few handy tricks that I must remember! I'm so bad at making cakes!

The next thing we learnt was how to line a tin with baking paper. Baking paper?! Yes, I don't use it....much.... It was so easy! At least the tutor made it look that way. Square tins and cakes are way easier than round ones. Time to invest in a square cake tin I think!

Then we learnt how to cover a cake board. Yet again, square - MUCH easier! We had our own cake board there so we got to cover it. Mine is pretty silver! Next week we have to put a cake on it!!
MEANING I HAVE TO BAKE!!!
HELP!

So fingers crossed some sort of a miracle happens this weekend so I can make a cake that is suitable to ice. Next week we learn how to do that smooth, white icing that all the fancy cakes use!
Stay tuned....

The Danes visit Hamilton!

Mogens and Inger arrived late Saturday afternoon, after driving from New Plymouth - stopping at Waitomo Caves on the way. They couldn't get over seeing that many glowworms in one place. I don't think they'd actually seen them before at all!

We didn't do much on Saturday. Just had dinner and went for a quick wander around the town.

Sunday started off going to Woodlands Homestead. It's an old homestead from the 1800's, just outside of the city limits. We had a wander around inside the house and then went outside to the gardens. The grounds of this homestead are massive! It has it's own lake!

Mogens outside the Woodlands Homestead

From there, we went to the Hamilton City Gardens. The rose garden isn't in bloom yet so we wandered around the international gardens. There were quite a few different ones, including Japan, China, India and Italy. We enjoyed a sunny lunch on the terrace of the cafe, overlooking the big pond in the Gardens.

Inger at the China Garden

Later that afternoon, we tried to get on the Waipa Delta, but it was booked by a wedding party. So it was back to my house for coffee in the sun on the back lawn.

Jo came around to meet Inger and Mogens and stay for dinner. Of course, we had to have a lamb roast for dinner, which had been cooking in the slow cooker all day. It made the house smell so good all day!

Inger and Mogens left early the next day, as they had to get through Auckland before the Labour Weekend traffic started.

It wasn't too hard to say goodbye to them as I know I will see them next year when I go to Europe. But once they had driven out of the driveway, I actually felt quite sad. I'd been building up to their trip for several months and now it was over.

It was SO great to see them. I am still so impressed with Mogens' amount of English. I had no idea he had been learning for his trip to NZ. Hope they enjoyed the rest of their trip around the top half of the North Island. There are so many beautiful things to see up there.

another night class!

Yes, I enrolled in another night class! Couldn't convince anyone to do it with me, but I'm sure I'll have fun anyway. Guess what I'm doing?!

Cake Decorating!!

Starts next Wednesday and goes for 6 weeks. Just wanted something to do to get me out of the house every now and then. I have no creative skills what-so-ever, but it should still be fun!

Go Rocky!

Went out last night with Cam, Jo and Mum. We went to dinner at Panchos (Mexican Restaurant) then to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Don’t recommend Panchos restaurant. Was quite expensive for what you got and it wasn’t that great either. I had 1 beef and 2 chicken enchiladas. The chicken was ok but the beef was ground, minced, looking chewed up beef. Plus there was no spice to it. You had to pay extra to have spice in it and extra for sour cream!

The show was fantastic! A bit more raunchier than I thought it would be but was a great show. Just slightly uncomfortable at times when you’re sitting beside your mother!

Anyway, I recommend it to anyone! If you can’t see the show, then get the movie out. It is apparently quite good too.

Last day in Tauranga

Sunday is my lazy day, and today was no different! Mum took Inger and Mogens for a walk along the Papamoa beach for a couple of hours. I washed my car (oh yes, I actually did it!) then sat and read a magazine in the lovely sun! Bring on summer!

We drove up the Minden to the lookout. They were obviously impressed with the view from there. For those who don’t know, it looks over the whole of Tauranga, Mount Maunganui and we could also see half way up the Coromandal Peninsula. A MUST SEE if you’re in Tauranga.


To finish a great week, we had to do the traditional fish and chips on the beach, complete with a bottle of L&P. Mogens quite liked it but think Inger was a bit hesitant. Afterwards, Mum took them for a hot pool swim at the Mount pools. Those pools are from a natural hot spring of salt water! I had to drive back to Hamilton to get up at 5.45am for work the next morning. What a way to be shaken out of holiday mode!

I had a fabulous week and I’m sure Inger and Mogens did too.
They are coming to Hamilton next weekend, so I didn’t have a problem saying goodbye……this time…

Where else, but Rotorua next!

If you’re in the Bay of Plenty, you HAVE to do Rotorua! 8 years ago I took over a video of New Zealand. It must be bung now with the number of times they have watched it! They loved the idea of boiling mud and geysers. So of course we had to take them to Wakarewarewa. Well that’s where I thought we were headed. Turns out that it’s now split into two companies, and the one with all the good stuff is called……something else Maori.

So we negotiated our way in. Always to have a fast talker along in times of spending money. Mum got me and her in at the local rate, so we paid $5 instead of $25! Woo hoo! We wandered along the path, and the kiwi house was the first sight. We walked in, and right at the front of the glass, was a kiwi digging for food. Now I’ve been to kiwi houses before and rarely get to see one that close!

Further along the path was the boiling mud and water. Always interesting to watch it go “plop plop”! Around the corner were the geysers. They sat quietly for 20 mins, so we decided to keep going. As we walked around the corner, we heard this WOOSH! Rushing back to the geysers, there were 2 of them going full force! We watched for about 20mins before we dragged them away – had to get to our next destination on time.

The afternoon was spent at the Agrodome. We went to the sheep show, where they had about 15 different types of sheep (who knew there were that many?!), and they sheared a sheep plus got the working farm dogs in for a demonstration. From there we went on a farm tour. I didn’t know the Agrodome was an actual working farm. It’s huge! We got to taste some organic kiwifruit wine and clover honey which is produced there. They also let us feed deer, sheep (with lambs!), alpacas, and one shy llama that just watched from the other side of the tractor.

In the evening, we went to a hangi and a show. The hangi can’t be cooked properly when cooking commercially, and it definitely didn’t taste like one, but the food was still good. Lots of roast lamb…..yum!
The show was more of a demonstration of different things they do, like poi, long sticks, short sticks and, of course, the haka. Inger had a go at the short poi and Mogens did a great show of trying the haka! Very entertaining for all!

Finally some sunshine!

Another slow morning start, but who can complain about a sleep-in while you’re on holiday?! I sure enjoyed it!

In the afternoon we walked around the Mount (minus Mum) and stopped at a café along the beach for a drink. It couldn’t get much better than this – like a dream actually! My Danish family, sitting at a café, on the Mount beach. The weather was beautiful plus we got to see some New Zealand trees and birds around the Mount. Sadly, no whales, dolphins or seals to see, but there were some nosey sheep grazing a few meters from the path.

In the evening we had a BBQ with Lorraine & Peter (close family friends – like family actually!) and Carol and her Danish exchange student (Carol did my AFS orientation before I went to Denmark). I wanted Inger and Mogens to meet some people that supported me through my exchange and meant a lot to me.

The first full day in New Zealand

After a long sleep in, Inger and Mogens rise to see the end of the morning. After brunch, we go for a little drive to show them the sights of Tauranga (yes the quickest trip in history!). We did the walk up Lesiure Island, but the blowhole wasn’t working much. Took them to see where I went to school and the house I grew up in.

Nothing overly exciting as we thought we’d keep it quiet, giving them time to overcome jetlag. Plus talking in a different language is enough to wear the brain out!

The day has finally arrived!

Mum and I drove up to Auckland to meet the plane at 11.10am. We were running late and of course their plane got a super wind behind them, so arrived half an hour early! We’d been there 10 mins before they walked out. Phew!!

As soon as I saw them come around the corner, I knew it was them! I was quite worried they may have changed that I wouldn’t recognise them. I waved and Mogens saw me first. He pointed me out to Inger then waved with a huge grin on his face! It was so exciting!



We stopped for coffee before picking up their campervan. Talk about flash! A nice set of wheels! It had a shower/toilet, stovetop, fridge, sink and 2 couches that merge to make a double bed. Looks a bit like a spaceship up the front, with all the gadgets, knobs and buttons to play with!

The afternoon was spent relaxing and getting settled at Mum’s.

3 more sleeps to go!

Can’t believe it’s only 2 days of work to go, then I have 3 days off! I can’t believe they will be here next week!

Don’t have much to write as it’s been a very quite weekend, home alone. Watched lots of movies (what else can you do on a rainy weekend?!) Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story, Ladder 49 and I, Robot. Yes, I did cringe at the “geek” references in I, Robot – SO fake!

New Years is planned!

Had a little meeting the other night with the other parties involved, and we have decided our final plan!! Yes, we are that organised. Some of us have been thinking about it for a couple of months - as you do need to book ahead if you want to be anywhere near a beach!

Kim's parents have been kind enough to lend us their batch at Cook's Beach! There will be about 14 of us there, just relaxing, eating, drinking, chatting and having fun! I'm all for camping (as the batch isn't HUGE), so I'll have a tent on the front lawn.

Can't wait for New Years now!

(Also talked to Mum, and she may not be in the North Island for Christmas, so if anyone wants to host to lonely Sherwood girls, let me know!!)

7 more sleeps til they arrive!

I can't believe that about this time next week, I will be standing at Auckland International Airport, waiting for Inger and Mogens to walk out of customs!! I am SOOO excited!!!

Talked to Mum the other night and she seems as excited as me! Guess it must be good for her to meet the people that looked after her daughter for a year.

Not much else to actually report, but thought I better update the countdown.

There are too many idiots in this world...

Well today has gotten off to a horrible start. Decided that seeing as I was ready slightly early, I’d get to work early. WRONG! I got out to my car to find that one of the rear passenger windows was smashed in. SOOOO not impressed!

After having a slight outburst on our front lawn, in front of all that passed by, at 6.40am, my flatmates looked out the window to see what was going on. Kind Rachel just brought her keys out to me and said, “here, take my car. I’ll sort it out.” Bless her!!

So called the insurance company, and because I got the extra windshield cover, the window is replaced for free. At least I didn’t have to fork out truck loads of money to fix it.

Yay for another concert!!

Go Simple Plan! Last night we went to the Simple Plan concert in Auckland’s St James Theatre. We cruised up there about 5pm after Jo finished work. It was Rach, Cam, Jo and me. Grabbing a quick bite on the way (with a fairly urgent pit stop required by those drinking!!), we made it to Auckland’s downtown. The theatre is on Queen’s St, right opposite The Civic theatre.

After waiting in a line that went around the block and nearly met back up with itself, we managed to get inside. It only took 45 mins! As we were walking through the door, I saw a sign that indicated that this night was going to turn bad.

“All American Rejects are unable to perform in tonight’s show due to unforeseen circumstances”

Things you do when you're bored in a queue

Poor Rach had bought the ticket just to see them! They were suppose to open for Simple Plan. We asked the people on the door what the deal was and apparently it had been news for about 10 days. No radio stations we listened to announced this fact! Poor Rach – she was SO mad!

For me, it was a great bonus, because 48 May was chosen to open for them instead. One of my favourite kiwi bands! So I got to hear 2 really great bands that I love! Yay for a great night!

48 May

Simple Plan